Tooth brush



May 12, 1936- R. A. CRAWFORD 2,040,245

" TOOTH BRUSH Filed May 20, 1935 INVEN TOR.

'ATTORNEY RONALD H. CRAWFORD Patented May 12, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTH BRUSH `Ronald. 'A."Cawford, La Mesa, Calif. Application May v210, 1935, Serial No. 22,341 2 claims. (c1. 11s- 1167) My invention relates to improvements in tooth brushes for advancing the technique of `brushing the teeth with anview to cleansing them and to promoting the health of the tissues adjacent lto them.

An important object of the invention is to provide, in addition to the implements made use of in accordance with present methods of the technique of tooth brushing, a brush adapted to the performance of what I term a circulatory, vibrating movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with the improved bristle structure of the brush, a handle portion which is shaped in `such a manner as to aid in` conveying manually to the bristle portion of the brush the short circular and reciprocatory movements which are required to operate the brush in the most eicient manner.

AI further object of lthe invention is to -pro-vide, in combination with the foregoing novel and improved features, a'small and compact brush structure readily applicable to 'all portions of the mouth, and particularly well "suited "for 'the mouths of juveniles.

A still further object of the invention is to improve the surface contour of the applicator portion of the brush in such a manner as to increase its capacity for conveying the dentifrice to the teeth and at the same time render the cleansing function of the bristles more efficient.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a bristle structure wherein one tuft of bristles reinforces an adjacent tuft.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and illustrating preferred embodiments thereof,-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a tooth brush embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan View showing the invention somewhat diagrammatically in operative position and on a somewhat increased scale.

Fig. 3 is a section of the brush taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section of the brush taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section illustrating a modication of the structure shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective disconnected View of the brush about to be applied to the teeth.

Cleaning teeth efliciently is a scientific problem of considerable complexity. Its progress is bristle tufts and the Istructure ofthe handle portion vof the brush are caused to cooperate effectively to `secure the foregoing gratifying results.

Until quite recently methods of toothbrushing technique have been based upon the theorythat the bristles'forming the tufts of thebrush should be flexed and dragged continuously away `'from the direction of their points. More recent dvel-A opmentin the technique of tooth Ybrushing has resulted in the theory being advanced thatthe points of the bristles should remain practically Astatic and the sides of the bristles be brought into-playifor cleaning by a circulatory vibrating movement of the hand and brush.

Particular importance is now attributed to the latter treatment. Especially is it considered valuable in dealing with the interdental spaces where the action of the bristles can be made more effective by increasing their length in this zone and coating this extra length with an adherent paste that can be effectively made to reach areas heretofore inaccessible.

Thus thru the invention now about to be disclosed a more effective massaging of the interdental gum tissues including the pits and fissures l of the occlusal surfaces besides cleaning the surfaces of the teeth proximal to the interdental spaces, is accomplished.

Referring in detail to the drawing the main parts of the brush structure comprise the handle portion 5, brush head B, neck portion 'l uniting the parts 5 and 6, and the bristle or applicator portion 8.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the bristles are arranged in two rows of substantially circular tufts there being two kinds of tufts shown which are arranged to alternate with each other. The bristle tufts I0 are furnished with spherically concaved extremities Il whereby they are particularly well adapted for engaging the convex surfaces of the teeth and are also well suited to perform a buffing action upon the more or less convex surfaces of the tissues overlying the alveolar processes. The bristle tufts I2, which alternate with the tufts Iii in the direction of the length of the brush head, are arranged in pairs the members of which incline towards each other and contact at their extremities at the mid-width of the brush as well shown in Fig. 4. Said bristle tufts I2 combine at their extremities in each pair, thus forming a conical applicator extremity I3. These conical extremities I3 are of particular importance in cleansing and treating the interdental spaces where the bristles can be made effective in massaging the interdental gum tissues after first coating all the pointed portion of the bristles with an adherent paste of selected taste.

The vibratory movement under pressure given to the brush by the hand in cleaning the interdental spaces also causes a partial collapse or conical spreading of the concave portion of the shorter tufts over the convex portion of the teeth proximal to the interdental spaces simultaneously cleaning the pits and fissures, whether located in the labial, lingual or buccal regions. The long and short tufts also cooperate with each other to make a brush of this character well adapted for cleaning the pits and flssues of the occlusal surfaces as well, as more fully hereinafter described.

From the disclosure of Fig. 2 it will be seen that, in the longitudinal succession of the bristle tufts the short tufts I alternate with the long tufts I2, and the bases of thetapered portions of the long bristle tufts are on substantially a level with the adjacent edges of the concavities II at the extremities of said tufts I0. By this arrangement simultaneous Contact of the end surfaces of a plurality of the bristle tufts is rendered possible when the brush is used as illustrated in this View.

Fig. 6 illustrates the application of the brush to certain molar teeth I and one of the bicuspid teeth I6. In this View are shown also the canine teeth I'I and incisors I8. The indentations of the occlusal surfaces I9 of the molars and bicuspids can also be effectively cleaned by the brush. Whenthe brush is held in a transverse position a pair of the short tufts IU may engage the occlusal surfaces of the molars while the long tufts at each side engage side portions of the same teeth.

'No particular fastening means is stated for securing the bristles to the solid portion of the brush, but inclined or converging sockets 25 are shown in Fig. 4 in which are anchored the converging bristle tufts I2, which are blended at their extremities. T'he inside bristles I2a. of each tuft I2 are shortened to the extent necessary to provide for the proper blending to the tufts near their extremities. A reinforced bristle tuft structure is thus afforded.

The neck portion 1 of the brush is reinforced at its front side by a swell 'Iw which may be integral with the adjoining part of the brush, or may be otherwise provided, and inset into the ivory, bakelite or other material of which the solid part of the brush is made.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification wherein, instead of the paired bristle tufts I0, a single tuft 20 is provided which extends the entire width of the applicatorv portion of the brush.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of What is claimed.

I claim:

1. A tooth brush having two substantially parallel longitudinally extending rows of tufts of bristles, alternate bristle tufts of each row being inclined and thereby brought into contact with each other at their extremities and the extremities of the intervening bristle tufts being in spaced relation to each other.

2. A tooth brush having two parallel longitudinally extending rows of tufts of bristles, alternate longitudinal tufts being inclined thus blending their extremities at substantially the mid-width of the brush, said blended extremities being of a pointed character.

RONALD A. CRAWFORD. 

